If you want someone to talk about you, give them something to talk about. In insurance sales, referrals from current clients are an easy way to get leads and identify likely prospects. Whether this happens or not is at least partially in your control. How?
Earn Referrals
An obvious way to increase the number of referrals you receive is to earn them by providing stellar service, which can include:
Knowing your products inside out
Following up in a timely manner, answering emails and calls quickly
Being your customer’s advocate during the claims process
Giving personalized advice that takes into account all aspects of a customer’s needs
In short, make sure your customers have the right coverage and coverage levels and don’t sell them insurance they don’t need. Aim for excellence and work to achieve it.
Ask for Referrals
You probably have customers who would be happy to recommend you but have never thought to do so. Why not ask? The best time to do so is shortly after you’ve done something to make a client happy, like lower their rates or help them deal with a claim. But you really can ask any time.
Here’s a sample of an email that you could send:
“Dear XX,
I’m so glad we were able to [save you money/get your claim resolved/etc.] We were happy to help, and I hope you were pleased with our service.
If you have any friends or family who you think might be interested in reviewing their insurance coverage or getting an insurance quote—now or in the future—I’d appreciate it if you’d give them my name and contact information:
[INSERT YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION]
I’ve also attached my contact information here as a digital file. [ATTACH YOUR CONTACT FILE]
Thanks again for giving us an opportunity to earn your business.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME”
Find a Niche
Another way to generate referrals is to specialize in a particular area of insurance knowledge. For example, you could make it a point to become an expert on motorcycle insurance. When you know the topic inside out, try to make connections with those who are involved in the bike community. Reach out to your local Harley dealer and ask if they’d be willing to keep a stack of your cards on their counter. Pay to sponsor a motorcycle charity ride. Make yourself visible to people who will benefit from your expertise. The goal is to become the go-to insurance agent for that area of interest.
Testimonials
When you have a customer willing to make referrals, be sure that you also ask them for a testimonial. And some customers who aren’t comfortable making a referral will still give you a testimonial. Why do you want testimonials? An earnest testimonial posted on your website or social media almost functions as a passive form of referral; it tells anyone reading it that you are trustworthy and good at what you do. It’s not the same as if their best friend had told them, but a solid bit of praise, even from a stranger, is going to feel almost like a referral to someone who reads it. If the person offering the testimonial is well-known or has a great story to include, all the better.
So now it’s our turn. At Hometown Quotes, we do our best to provide fresh leads, great customer service and helpful tips and ideas like these posts in Hometown University that make it easier for you to excel in insurance sales. If you find our services valuable, we would appreciate it if you’d pass along our contact information: 800-820-2981 or www.hometownquotes.com. Or just drop us a note and let us know what we’re doing well and what we could improve. We value your feedback.
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